The Saint Quiricus and Julitta Monastery in Dhuvjan, Dropull, Gjirokastër Region, is undergoing restoration with support from the World Monuments Fund. Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja inspected the current phase of the project.
The project also includes trail signs linking the area’s monuments. Gonxhja said the work will help preserve local heritage and create new opportunities for cultural tourism in Dropull. Cultural Heritage Without Borders is implementing the project with the Institute of Cultural Monuments, the Gjirokastër Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, Dropull Municipality and the local community. Gonxhja said the cooperation is helping revive the area’s religious heritage and support its economic and social development.
The monastery dates to the Byzantine period. Historical sources and old monastic records suggest that the current complex was founded or rebuilt around 1089. The monastery follows a cross-shaped plan with a central dome supported by six stone columns. In 1777, Orthodox missionary Cosmas of Aetolia opened a Greek school there. The monastery later hosted schools for girls and craft activities. Albania declared it a Category I Cultural Monument in 1963. The monastery remains an important example of Byzantine heritage in the Drinos Valley and a historical record of Christianity and culture in southern Albania.
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